A couple of days ago this post caught people’s attention in reaction to this opinion piece in the Guardian by Thomas Prosser. So other than banning Newday and the like, I thought I’d pick through the article and look for the problems that secularists like Prosser have with Christians like me.

1. The obvious one – we believe in God. Secularism is becoming indistinguishable from atheism. It needn’t necessarily be the same but in our case it is. It’s not stated in the article but it underpins the whole thing.
2. They think we are emotionally and intellectually taking advantage of young people: “that taking on religious faith is often done by minors who are emotionally and intellectually vulnerable to the claims of adult religious authorities”. Prosser has clearly never worked with teenagers. It insultingly downplays the ability of teenagers to make their own mind up and do their own thing. Anyone who has done youthwork knows that if a teenager ain’t interested there’s not much you can do – and being vulnerable I think makes no difference. It also fails to connect with the reality of most teenagers lives – by 15 the age of conversion in discussion here, many teenagers have already made decisions about sex, alcohol, drugs, relationships, educational and recreational choices. What makes religion somehow worse or requiring an age of consent like sex (16) or voting, driving and alcohol (18)?
3. We preach with passion and zeal: “One striking aspect of these camps is the intensity of the doctrine that is preached and the zeal with which it is delivered. Leaders passionately inform children and teens of their conviction that evangelical doctrines, all of which are of course highly questionable when considered soberly, are absolutely true.” Is the mark of intellectual honesty and credibility a cool detachment from the subject? Are the passionate and zealous to be distrusted? Or is that our passion is questionable when presented to young people? Should youth festivals become massive RE lessons on comparative religion? That would certainly solve the problem of their popularity.
4. Our beliefs are highly questionable: “that evangelical doctrines, all of which are of course highly questionable when considered soberly…can cause emotional pain when, in later life, it is discovered that such beliefs simply do not bear rational scrutiny.“ Well that certainly presents a challenge to the apologetics of the church. I’ve argued before that we’ve been poor and weak at taking good apologetics to the wider society, that while our faith remains faith there are compelling reasons for belief in God, the resurrection of Jesus, the moral case for marriage, chastity, pro-life, forgiveness, stewardship, generosity, peace-making and so on and on…
5. We believe that God heals today: “Such lessons can potentially cause serious emotional and physical damage to the children receiving them and should anger anyone who cares about child welfare.” Unless of course the young person in question was actually healed. In which case I think the opposite of physical damage has occurred. I’d wonder what Prosser would think if he actually talked to the young people who have experienced God’s healing power, what flimsy response would he give then?
6. Evangelical doctrine is essentially child abuse: I’m not exaggerating listen to this, “Christian churches would not be able, under hate legislation, to advocate slavery or the killing of witches (as many once did) on the basis of certain Old Testament verses for instance. Twenty-first century child welfare standards mean that other doctrines should join the list.” So telling children God can heal them is dangerous to their welfare? Akin to advocating slavery? That God judges thoughts as well as word and deed? There’s a deep antagonism here to faith and belief and we shouldn’t downplay it. We are seen as dangerous people and the deeper the conviction the greater the danger.

If you haven’t reacquainted yourself with the strength of feeling against religion (certainly amongst the liberal Guardian readership) then read the comments to this piece. Faith of all forms is provoking a very strong reaction.